


A song of Ice and Fire

by willsimpforazula



Series: Sokkla Saturday Oneshots [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, minor zutara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:02:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27313765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/willsimpforazula/pseuds/willsimpforazula
Summary: Sokka is taken away as a political hostage. When he comes back as the head of the legion sent to their territory, he finds things have changed.
Relationships: Azula/Sokka (Avatar)
Series: Sokkla Saturday Oneshots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031502
Comments: 12
Kudos: 16





	A song of Ice and Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by 'Barbarians' on Netflix

Sokkla Saturday Week 5 : A song of Ice and Fire

**15 years ago**

"No, I don't want to go! Can't you do anything?"

"Son, I know this is hard but you have to trust me."

"But you're the chief!"

"And being chief means you have to make hard decisions. I'm sorry, I really am. But the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

The door to the building flung open with a loud crash and in strode the governor of the region and the standard bearer, flanked by a retinue of Imperial firebenders just itching for the flimsiest of excuses to bring down the wrath of Agni on the settlement. "I trust we have come to an understanding, Chieftain Hakoda?" With a deep breath, he answered "Yes, Lord Ozai." "Worry not for your son's future, for he will be in good hands. Unlike _certain individuals_ whom you are currently sheltering, I doubt they'll last the winter. I hear this season is especially harsh. All things considered, he'll make a fine legionary, perhaps even a Jiang Jun." he cruelly smirked. At this, Hakoda merely clenched his fists, forcing himself to hold his emotions at bay as his only son was led away in tears. From behind a pillar, Azula could only bite down on her fist and choke in tears, as by right she wasn't even supposed to be in the meeting hall. It did not help matters that Sokka made eye contact with her as he was unceremoniously carted of by the retinue.

The duo had not gotten off on the best of terms when they first met, insults traded across like rapid fire arrows almost resulting in a full on fistfight. And yet over the next few months, sharp barbs morphed into light hearted jabs, which then turned into an unlikely friendship as one found the other not too dissimilar from the other in terms of thoughts and actions. Thus, even at the tender ages of 11 and 9, they somehow knew they were meant for each other. But fate, as is often the case, is a cruel and heartless mistress that enjoys tearing apart soulmates for fun and giggles. At least it seemed as such to Azula, who in the coming days reverted back into her old self, cold, distant and uncaring like the frost on the barren steppes and taiga they now called home.

* * *

**Present day**

"Give it up, Azula. We both know the dragon is somewhere in this village. I'd rather it be me than the imperial legionnaires doing the searching."

"What makes you think you have the right to come back here?"

"Like it was my choice to be sent to Caldera as a fucking hostage. Look, I know my sister and your brother are behind this. Just give me the standard and I'll be gone."

"No."

"Can you not be so difficult?"

"Difficult? Do you have any idea how hard it was to watch you be led away kicking and screaming? Do you? Answer me! I fucking broke, Sokka. I was fucking broken when you left. Ask your sister. Or you father. Or anyone in this fucking place you say you care so much about! 15 years Sokka, not a letter or note, not even a single fucking word that you were still alive and not dead in some forgotten frontier."

"Look, I'm sorry that you suffered and I didn't write to you, okay? But this, this song of ice and fire can only end one way. I've seen what the Caldera's finest can do. It does not end well, of this I can assure you."

"It doesn't have to."

"What do you mean? Surely you're not thinking of rising against the governor?"

A pause.

"You cannot be fucking serious."

"Look around you, does it look like we have the capacity to meet the increased demands for tribute?"

"Not the point here."

"Then what is? Tell me Sokka, what is the point? This so-called _alliance_ with Caldera has brought nothing but suffering and misery. The Sokka I know would never have allowed this to happen."

"Are you asking me to rise against them? Against my adopted father? Are you crazy?"

The sound of a tight slap echoed in the stillness of the night, followed by a heart wrenching sob.

"You're fucking dead to me you understand! Dead to me!" Azula screamed between tears.

"If that's the way you want it, so be it. It was a mistake to come back here. Goodbye Azula." he shot back, clutching his helmet in the right hand and his left cheek with his free hand as hot streams flowed from his eyes.

* * *

**Two weeks later**

"Excellent work in retrieving the standard, Sokka."

"I did what needed to be done, sir. The honour of the legion cannot be allowed to be sullied like this. After all, what would our enemies say if it came out that a group of barbarians succeeded in stealing the imperial standard without repercussions?"

"An astute observation. Very good Sokka."

Noticing that his adopted father seemed to be engrossed in some paperwork, he asked "What is troubling you, father?"

"It seems that since Chieftain Hakoda has passed on, there's a power vacuum growing amongst the clans." mused Ozai in his office, as Sokka stood at attention in front of him.

"You are the chief's only son, are you not?"

"What do you have in mind,sir?"

"I would like you go back and claim your birthright as chieftain and bring the other elements to heel. Caldera can ill afford a second front, not with the siege of Ba Sing Se sapping much of our resources and manpower."

"Understood, though I would like to make a request."

"If it is within reason, I might see fit to grant."

"I would like to take the auxiliaries with me, showing up with Imperial firebenders in tow gives the impression that I am but a pawn of the Fire Lord. The last thing we need is a common enemy for the clans to rally around. Like you said, Caldera can ill afford a second front at this critical juncture with the war in the east only just reaching its crescendo."

"I see that five years on the Eastern Front has borne much fruit. For what is worth, I'm proud of you. The empire is always on the lookout for new talent to fill their ranks and I would gladly write your recommendation letter. Now go and do not fail me son."

At this, Sokka snapped a salute and left the building, looking happy while feeling anything but at the prospect of meeting Azula again in what was sure to be another angst charged moment. Putting all thoughts away, he summoned his auxiliaries and told them simply "We're going native. Leave your imperial dress behind, you will not be wearing them anymore."

* * *

As he drew close to the settlement, he dismissed his auxiliaries, preferring to not have as many bystanders as possible for what he imagined would be an intense shouting match. Suddenly, his throat felt dry at the mere thought when he crossed the gates into his village. Hopping off his polar bear dog, he approached the big house where the funeral rites were being held. His sister upon noticing him, shot him a dirty glance before remarking "Back to claim your throne, _brother_?", spitting out the last word like it was a piece of dirt.

Ignoring her, he asked as to Azula's whereabouts. "How should I know where she is?" was her reply. Seeing as he wasn't going to get an answer from her, he marched into the meeting hall where the clans were gathered to pay his respects. A few clan heads shot him a dirty look but he brushed it off. After all, he thought, they wouldn't dare try anything stupid, not when the might of Fire Nation thunder and fire could come hurtling like a bolt of winter lightning at the slightest misstep.

Placing his funeral offering of a wolf pelt on his father's lifeless body, his thoughts were scattered all over the place as he did so. Not knowing what next to do, with his heart and mind in a million places at once, he knelt in front and stayed there until there was just him left. Confident he was alone, tears held back after so long in the service of the empire began to flow. As he did so, he didn't realise someone had slipped in and placed a standard next to him before silently slipping away, undetected. As he got up, he noticed a note at his feet with the words _Meet me at the usual place._

* * *

Not knowing what to expect, he strapped his trademark meteorite sword to his hip and made his way to the secret place he and Azula used to meet as children, back when times were simpler. As he recalled such memories, a sudden sadness overtook him as he realised that things could never go back to how they were, when they were just children without a care in the world and Caldera was far, far away. Lost in his thoughts again, he did not notice a familiar silhouette cut the early morning fog with a blue flame lending an otherworldly glow to her. 

A familiar voice soon brought him back to reality. "I see you got my message."

"I had a feeling it was you."

"I-"

"I-"

"You go first, Sokka."

"I just want to say, I-I'm sorry Azula. You're right, I should have written to you or sent a messenger hawk or something, anything to let you know. And you're right, this so-called tribute demand is nothing more than pure extortion. It's just, I-"

"Just what, Sokka?"

"Your dad asked me to take over the chieftainship. I've thought about using it against him but-but I can't. Not after he's treated me like his own son, his own flesh and blood." Sokka answered, head and shoulders slumping as he took a seat on a log, looking more like a lost six year old than a veteran of the Eastern Front.

Azula sat down beside him, tilted his face to her and said "Look at me Sokka, you owe him nothing, absolutely nothing. Even if he treated you like his own, sooner or later you would have been used as nothing more than his personal attack dog. Trust me, I know what he is really like." As proof, she turned around and stripped off her clothes, revealing a mass of crisscrossing thin burn marks that marred her otherwise smooth skin on her back.

"These", she whispered with a quivering voice as the memories still caused her pain even after so long, "was every time I didn't perform a kata correctly. I was the lucky one, as I managed to learn quickly. My brother wasn't so lucky, as you can see by the scar on his face. Let my scars motivate you if nothing else."

In that moment, Sokka wanted nothing but to hold her close to him and stab his adopted father multiple times for the pain and suffering he caused her. As she put her clothes back on, Sokka said, with steel in his voice "He will pay for this, I swear on my life, Azula." and he drew her into his chest tightly, afraid she would dissipate like the morning fog when the sun rises. 

"I have a plan" he spoke after a long but warm silence of enjoying each other's company.

"Do share."

* * *

**Five weeks later**

**Meeting hall**

Sokka took in a long hard look at the various clan heads seated around the fire, each brimming with desire to do unspeakable things to him before removing his head from his shoulders for what he did. Meanwhile, Azula stood behind him in her customary Fire Nation armour piece, looking every bit the war chieftainess of old, back in the days when the archipelago was consumed by a violent period known simply as the Spring-Autumn period. The tension in the air was palpable, electric almost.

Like a direwolf pouncing on a hapless baby seal, Tonraq leapt off his seat, grabbed Sokka by his neck and threatened to break him there and then. "Filthy traitor, you should be killed immediately, along with that ashmaker consort of yours." Not skipping a beat, Sokka merely stared him down and replied "I'd like to see you try. You touch me again, say goodbye to your precious Korra. Now fuck off before I make that a reality." Still brimming with anger, Tonraq reluctantly took his seat. Sokka however, remained where he was and started to speak.

"Brothers, clansmen. Take a long hard look at yourselves. I came in with just a handful of auxiliaries from our sister tribe and you crumbled into nothing as I took away your sons and daughters from you. Such good parents, I wonder what the spirits would say."

"You dare invoke the spirits, ashmaker's lapdog?" one of them jeered.

"Says the one who stood by and did absolutely nothing as I ripped your children from you, Hahn. Hell, _your wife_ put up a bigger fight than you ever did. But fear not, your children are safe. They are in my house where my sister and her husband are looking after them.", putting the heckler back in his place and assuaging concerns that he might have had them actually shipped off to Caldera.

Satisfied, he continued "You want to know why you could do absolutely nothing? Because you, yes _all of you_ are more concerned with your petty disputes and squabbles than actually presenting a united front! The dragons roaring are at the door, yet you tear at each other throats for the barest of scraps! And to think, I am the threat here, in my own home." he theatrically sighed before continuing.

"For the longest time, I asked myself, what did I do to deserve this fate? Was it because of my father's kindness in sheltering people in need? But then I realised, they didn't need one. My existence as the chieftain's son was cause enough. You know what they taught me in the courts of the Fire Nation? To forget who I was, to forget who I am and deny my very heritage, only to pick it up when it serves their needs and agendas. If we unite into one tribe and drive them back, we can be free from their yoke!"

One of them scoffed "Big words and grand dreams cannot hope to challenge the might of four legions, each one veterans of the Eastern Campaigns." Azula shot back "And what do you propose? That we sit back and watch them strip us clean? That your children and mine be taken as hostages? That we submit to a foreign oppressor that seeks to mock us at every turn?"

Seeking to capitalize on this, Sokka joined in "I know how they live, how they operate, how they fight. I was one of them, I led them on numerous campaigns. And I will teach you how to crush the dragon's head under our claws. They may sing a song of victory and mocking, but we will teach them a new song of ice and fire!" ending with a loud cry as the various clan heads and their entourage were whipped into a frenzy.

* * *

As they lied down on the furs in a post-coital haze, Sokka rolled over and cupped her cheek before voicing out "Whatever would I do without you?" "Not much" was her sarcastic reply as she placed her hand over his. For a moment, no words were exchanged as each looked upon the other with hazy, affection filled gazes, blue eyes speaking to amber coloured ones what words would fail to even adequately cover. Slowly, they inched ever closer to each other, as foreheads touched and slow kisses were exchanged. Soon the atmosphere in between was charged with a pulsing, lust filled tension as Azula flipped him over, pinned his hands above his head and merely smirked "Mine." before sliding back into his length and riding him deeper into the furs. 

Just like that, Sokka found himself utterly lost in the way she bounced on him, entranced by her cries of ecstasy as she reached that peak. Without warning, he freed himself of her grip and brought her crashing on to his chest as he brought them both to the brink. There he relentlessly thrust into her while holding her close in his embrace, lips permanently locked together as if to make up for all the years lost between them. Seconds later, he erupted inside her, filling her completely and making her roll her eyes in her head. There they lay, not saying a word, savouring the mutual feelings of love, lust, attraction and affection as he slowly and gently pulled out.

"Promise me you'll never leave me again, Sokka." she whispered into his ear as she regained her senses.

"I promise, from now until forever." he whispered back.

* * *

**Forty hours later**

It was pretty surreal, Sokka thought to himself as he was holding a conversation with a condemned man, slated to die before the sun set. In fact, Sokka could see the spark in his eyes slowly dimming as the sanguine liquid flowed onto the blood stained snow. It was a hard and bloody fight, with the battle seesawing between victory and utter annihilation more times than he could count. Only the quick thinking of his consort and some well positioned lightning bolts broke up the last concerted stand of the mauled legions, all but ensuring the pyrrhic victory that tossed off the yoke of the Fire Nation for the time being.

Turning to look at the rest of his family, Katara was beyond exhausted patching up and healing the wounded whilst his brother in law was equally spent, hands blistered beyond belief from the iron grip he held to his dual swords as he scythed down legionnaires by the dozens. His consort was not looking too appetizing either, with singe marks and a small cut near her eye showing just how close she came to being blinded or killed if it weren't for Sokka's heroics in relentlessly mowing through his fellow legionnaires, some whom he knew way back when in his iron march to reach the governor's position. 

Naturally, Ozai had not been pleased at this turn of events and proceeded to face off against his adopted son, culminating in a drag down fight as time seemed to slow down to just the two of them while the snow and fire raged like the turbulent seas of the south, rising and falling in a rollercoaster ride. At last his blade bit into his flesh, and he knew right there and then the battle was over, the dragon crushed by the unwavering wolf pack by a thousand cuts.

The battle had also claimed it's fair share of Water Tribesmen, as of the twelve clan heads who rode into battle, only five survived without serious injuries, the rest dead or soon to join their brethren in the Spirit World, to say nothing of the hundreds of braves who had returned back to the Spirit World ahead of their clan heads. Turning his gaze back on to her, he pulled her close in and remarked "They'll be singing this song of ice and fire for ages to come, and it's all thanks to you, my little phoenix." 

"I'm your what now?" she replied, not used to having a pet name.

"My little phoenix." Sokka replied matter of factly. Sighing at her husband's penchant for pet names, she merely burrowed deeper into his arms and chest, breathing in his scent and thinking to herself, how she managed to get so lucky. 

**Author's Note:**

> A bit late to the party but at least its still Saturday, so I'm safe (I think). First time writing smexy times between those two so be nice pls no flame me. Lastly, that speech scene from 'Barbarians' where Arminius makes his case to the council is what partly inspired me to do this so there's that. I did initially type up a short Destiny 2 inspired work but felt that was a bit lacking so yeah.


End file.
